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For a more particular account of the proceedings and success of the Society, the Managers refer to the several Annual Reports herewith presented.

In thus submitting to the General Conference a concise view of the transactions of the society, the Managers cannot but express their gratitude to God, for permitting them to be the humble instruments of aiding, in the management of the concerns of this Society, in any measure, to extend the empire of truth and righteousness in the world; at the same time pledging themselves, that while the Conference shall continue its operations for the noble purpose of evangelizing mankind and of bringing them under the yoke of Jesus Christ, they will use their best endeavours to promote the same blessed object, by a faithful discharge of their duties as Managers of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcoра

Church.

By Order of the Board,

New-York, April 23, 1824.

N. BANGS, Treasurer.

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR AUGUST, 1824.

Divinity.

The substance of a Sermon, delivered in Bath, Maine, July 4, 1822, before the New-England Annual Conference.

BY THE REV. ELIJAH HEDDING.

FIRST PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF SAID CONFERENCE.

JOHN i. 1, 2. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

BEFORE the Evangelist wrote this Gospel, destructive errors had arisen respecting the nature and character of Christ. The Gnostics supposed the human nature of Christ to be only an apparent body, and not real manhood. "The Ebionites admitted Jesus Christ to be a true man, and of a transcendently excellent character, but they supposed morals constituted the essence of religion, and excluded every idea of the incarnate Deity, as a substitute for others, and a propitiation for our sins; supposing that by their own virtue and excellence they became entitled to the favour of God."*

It is probable, part of St. John's design, in writing this Gospel, was to oppose these errors. Admitting this supposition, no declarations could be more positive than these in this chapter; nor any less likely to be misunderstood.

Of the Word, it is here affirmed, He is God. The Self-Existent, Eternal, Immutable, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Independent, Omnipotent God. The Creator, Upholder, and Ruler of all other beings in the universe.

This Word was in the beginning; he existed at the time creation began, and therefore was not created himself. And as he was not created, he must have existed without beginning.

That the Apostle meant to teach us that the Word was a Divine Person, and that that Person was united to human nature,

* See HAWEIS'S Church History, Vol. I. page 128, 129.

VOL. VII.

36

and was manifested in the flesh, is evident from the following declarations. All things were made by him-In him was lifeHe was in the world-He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory.

The ideas contained in our text may be comprised in this proposition, Jesus Christ is the Supreme God.

This proposition I shall now endeavour to prove by arguments more solid than the pillars of the world: Even by the words of God himself, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, Scripture with Scripture.

By searching these Sacred Records we shall find, that the same titles, attributes, and works, which are ascribed to the God of the Hebrews in the Old Testament, are also ascribed to Christ, by the Prophets, by the Apostles, and by Christ himself. And these passages of Scripture can be reconciled no other way, than by admitting what our Lord says, John x. 30. "I and my Father are one." Either this must be an eternal truth, that Father and Son are one Being, or those Scriptures, which say these things of them, must remain eternal contradictions.

In support of the proposition contained in the text, I shall endeavour to prove that Jesus Christ is frequently called God-That he is called Jehovah-That he is the Eternal Being-That he is the Immutable Being--That he is the Omniscient Being-That he is the Omnipresent Being-That he is the Omnipotent BeingThat he is the proper object of worship--That he is the Creator of all other beings but himself, and of all things in the universe-And that he is the Upholder of the universe.

1. We are to prove that Christ is frequently called God. And here it may be proper to observe, that there is but one God acknowledged in the Scriptures. Exod. xx. 3. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Isaiah xlv. 5. "There is no god besides me." Still, though these Scriptures declare that there is but one True God, yet others sufficiently show that Christ is that True God. Isa. ix. 6. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Isai. vii. 14. "Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel." This text is quoted in Matt. i. 23. and explained to signify, "God with us," and applied to Christ. Compare Psalm xlv. 6. with Heb. i. 8. The Psalmist says, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre." St. Paul says, quoting the same text, "But unto the Son he saith, "Thy Throne, O God," &c. Here you see, the same Being whom the Psalmist acknowledges to be his God, St. Paul declares to be the Son. This agrees with 1 John v. 20.

are

Wise

"And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the True God, and eternal life." Hear St. Paul again, 1 Tim. iii. 16. "Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Col. ii. 9. "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Rom. ix. 5. "Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever." This text shows us, that Christ is God over all; and if the Son is God over all, no other being can be God over any; but the Father is God over heaven and earth, therefore, Father and Son are one God. In Jude 25, Jesus Christ is called "The only wise God our Saviour." What other words could more fully express his Supreme Deity, or more plainly show, that the Father and the Son the One Only Wise God? That Apostle believed and acknowledged this doctrine, who said to Jesus, John xx. 28. "My Lord and my God." And Christ accepted that acknowledgement, or he would have rebuked Thomas for addressing him in such terms. But the Lord Jesus, instead of reproving Thomas for calling him God, or giving him any intimation that he was under a wrong impression, immediately commends his faith. "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." And of this truth, that Christ is God, our Saviour directed his Apostles to bear witness, that we might believe; and that believing we might have life through his name. Once more, Tit. ii. 13. "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ." So it appears that Christ is the great God, and if there be any other god distinct from Christ, he must be an inferior one. But the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, are the One Great God, and all besides, who pretend to be gods, are nothing but vanities.

But lest it should be said, Christ is God only by office and not by nature, we will now endeavour to offer further evidence that he is called God in the same sense the Father is. Phil. ii. 6. "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Who was equal with God? Not any created being in the universe. But the Divine Person of Jesus Christ was equal with the Divine Person of the Father. Again, John v. 18. "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also, that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." This text shows that the Jews understood our Lord to make himself equal with God; and certainly, if they had misunderstood him, he would have informed them better. It is also evident, that the Evangelist understood him to mean the same; for he does not say, the Jews thought he made himself equal with God; but plainly declares, he did make himself equal with God, and that, on that account, the Jews sought to kill him. Besides, if we consider that St. John was divinely inspired when he wrote this, we must perceive it is a strong confirmation of the doctrine of our text, that Jesus Christ is the Supreme God. It is well known that the ancient Prophets were inspired by the Spirit of God. Yet in 1 Pet. i. 11, it is said, "The Spirit of Christ, which was in them,--testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." A clear evidence this, that Christ is that God, by whose Spirit the ancient prophets were inspired. Again, compare the 6th and 16th verses of the 22d chapter of Revelation. The first says, "The Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done." The second reads, "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches." Here you observe, that in one of these texts it is said, the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his angel, and in the other, speaking of the same angel, sent with the same message, 1 Jesus have sent mine angel. A positive evidence that Jesus Christ is the Lord God of the holy Prophets.

How could the Scriptures speak more plainly than they have spoken in these passages? Does not the voice of inspiration say enough to convince every one, who is willing to receive truth, when it declares that Christ is the Mighty God, the Great God, the True God, the only wise God, and the Lord God of the holy Prophets?

2. We shall endeavour to prove that Christ is called Jehovah. Parkhurst defines this word thus: "The peculiar and incommunicable name of the Divine Essence. He who is, or SUBSISTS, i. e. eminently and in a manner superior to all other beings. Jehovah is the being necessarily existing of and from himself, with all actual perfection originally in his essence." But to prove to you that Jehovah is the incommunicable name which God has appropriated to himself, and that there is but one Jehovah, I have a better authority than Parkhurst, even God himself. Exod. vi. 3. "And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them." Ps. lxxxiii. 18. "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth." Observe here, our Maker claims this name as peсиliar to himself, and the Psalmist declares his name alone is Jehovah, that no other being has a right to that name.

Here it may be proper to remark, that though the translators of our Bible have given us the Hebrew word, Jehovah, in a few passages, yet, in general, they have rendered it LORD, and printed it in capitals, to distinguish it from another word translated Lord, signifying a ruler, and printed in small letters. I use the word Jehovah, because it is not applied to creatures as the word lord is, and, because it is descriptive of the nature of the True God.

As we have proved that the title Jehovah belongs to no other being but the True God, and that there is but one Jehovah, if we

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